Kittitian Hill Founder – Val Kempadoo
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
July 20, 2013 (SKNIS)
The construction of the 40 acre Kittitian Hill resort has created employment for more than 400 people, but Founder Val Kempadoo said he’s most pleased with the entrepreneurship ventures that have birthed from the development project.
“We actually actively [go] out and encourage young entrepreneurs and people to start businesses that can help a large resort development like Kittitian Hill,” Mr. Kempadoo said during an interview with SKNIS.
During the start of construction in 2010 caterers from the community were engaged to provide meals for workmen at the site. Now that the first phase is about to be completed and the doors of a Five Star Hotel are scheduled to open in November 2013, Mr. Kempadoo stressed that there will be expanded opportunities to be filled by residents.
“There’s farming opportunities, there’s small manufacturing, there’s agro processing which we think is going to be huge,” he stated. “So, we, for instance, envisage [persons] making jams and jellies so that our guests can not only use them in house but they can take them home and have a piece of Kittitian Hill with them.
“So we believe very strongly that this is something that we can work on with the community and the community cooperatives.”
Kittitian Hill will offer unique ways for entrepreneurs to serve guests. This includes hosting fishing trips where visitors can observe and possibly participate in fishing expeditions. Additionally, agriculturalists will be able to sell produce to the resort and will also have access to the grounds at “The Farmers’ Market” where they can sell fresh, quality produce directly to guests.
Good idea, now lets just hope that the Labour government doesn’t try to take a slice of the pie away from the entrepreneurs with too many taxes.
I like the idea, I just wish that it was a Kittitian owning this instead of ANOTHER foreign investor. Kitts will be owned by non-nationals soon.